A fresh spin
by Kathie Jenkins--

Pioneer Press, St. Paul Friday, Mar. 28, 2003

When the owner called me about his restaurant Duke's, I imagined a macho place with stiff
martinis, red leather booths and thick, juicy steaks. Turns out Duke's is actually Duc's an
Asian equivalent of diner, famous among employees at nearby 3M for chicken chow mein,
sweet and sour pork and shrimp fried rice.

The restaurant in Maplewood is small and spotless with an aquarium in front, a few pictures on
the walls and Miller Lite in the fridge. Service is fast and friendly. The food's a mix of Chinese
and Vietnamese standards — no fish balls, tendon or unrecognizable vegetables here. And
while the menu is long, listing endless dishes of beef, chicken, pork and shrimp, it's mostly
variations on the same themes (shrimp with broccoli, beef with broccoli, chicken with broccoli,
etc.) The difference between this restaurant and others that serve this sort of old-fashioned
style food is that Duc's dishes are so much brighter and fresher.

Like the wonton soup, for instance. Most place start with a salty soup base. Here the broth is
made form scratch and full of flavor. Pale and clear, it is filled with chicken–stuffed wonton's
and flecked with fresh cilantro and slivers of burnt garlic. It's clean, uncomplicated and
satisfying on its own, or you can add some Chile paste if you like a little heat. There's also an
excellent version of the Singapore noodle soup, hu tieu ga, with slippery rice noodles, tender
chicken, bok choy and a side of bean sprouts to toss in. Another good bet is the rice–paper
roll, goi cuon, wrapped up with pork, shrimp, rice noodles, lettuce and fresh herbs and dipped
into nuoc cham, Vietnam's traditional blend of fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar and Chile. The
fried chicken wing, though, were very dry and much too sweet.

Of the entrees, beef with black bean sauce and asparagus is earthy and tasty, as is the
shredded pork with carrots and broccoli in a spicy garlic sauce. The Szechuan pork stir–fried
with mushrooms, corn, ginger and a dash of hot pepper sauce is first–rate; the fresh ginger
really gives it zing. The bun tom xao salad, a tangle of lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber,
shrimp and rice noodles, makes a refreshing follow-up. And the fried tofu with deep fried
potatoes is something I could live on — although it probably wouldn't be for very long.

Duc's doesn't list any desserts on the menu, so if you have a sweet tooth you'll have to settle
for the fortune cookie that comes with the bill. Better yet, buy yourself a Snicker's — the
classic candy bars are in a box right next to the cash register.